Hey guys I'm looking at going on 18+hrs with this project and the trans is so close to coming out. Just one question is how in the (imagine any bad language here) does that plate come out to get the bolts off the torque conveter to the flex plate. All but one of the bell housing bolts is loose and all but the top 3 are out. Also I would like to kill the engineer that came up with this stupid bracket system that is attached to everything. Sorry about the rant but I could've had one out and back in twice in a gm truck this same model year (not exaggerating).

 

I knew at some point you where going to ask this question.....

Ok sir, here is how its done....


1) Take out the (3) engine to transmission bracket bolt's (5/8)
2) Remove the (4) bell housing bolts facing the back (9/16)
3) Remove the (2) inspection plate bolts.. (can't recall size but its metric)
4) Remove oil filter
5) Remove the (2) bolts facing towards the front about 1/2 way (5/8)
6) with a pry bar carefully wedge the transmission back a little. it should then drop out.

Note: on mine, and probably yours as will since there both 98's... i have a stud that comes out of the transmission that it used to bolt the bottom of the starter. i had to use a pair of tin snips to cut a bit of the place to allow it to clear that stud....

Also, you think this is a PITA wait till you get to removing the converter bolts off the flex plate!

hope that helps... any questions just ask... its still pretty fresh in my mind for now....

 

Yeah, getting that access cover out is a pain in the ****. I ended up getting mine all bent up and right now every once in a while you can hear the bolts on the torque converter hitting it. I've been putting off fixing it because it's a pain, but it's starting to really get on my nerves.

 

Ok I have all but 3 bolts (the top ones) out of the bell housing now and two are only finger tight.. I just put two nuts on that starter stud and spun it out. I may just take your advice and break out the pry bar. If not the BFH is gonna come out. The factory service manual had some bass ackwards way of taking out that plate by jacking up the motor, then taking it out. Effectively pinching it in? Anyways I want to get this project done by the 11th so I can have one last 4-wheelin day before some good friends leave for college.

 

Old School
That is the same way I removed the inspection cover too.

 

Whatever you do don't beat it with a hammer!!!! you can easily bust the casting then you are SOL.. do the pry bar method i told ya and your golden.

 

That's because that was the way you told me to do it when i asked in a PM

I was gonna copy and paste your PM to me but, i seem to have cleared my PM's.....

BTW... thanks for all the help mastertech.. I know i was getting to be a PITA....

 

I seen your pictures, How did that overdrive pistion break like that. I have seen some pretty bad transmission, but never seen a piston like that.

 

I have no clue... i just know from ripping the rest apart someone drove it really, really hard....

 

Kinda like I did to mine.............lesson learned.